Three key takeaways from Space-Comm Expo 2025
It’s a really exciting time for the space industry. With humanity looking to establish a permanent base on the Moon, a sci-fi-esque future is on our doorstep. But news that the US government is cutting NASA jobs signals a shift. Smaller players need to step up.
Space companies must not only push the boundaries of innovation but also tell their stories effectively. This means that clear and strategic communications has never been more crucial. A solid media relations strategy can make the difference between a space startup securing funding and being overlooked.
To stay plugged into the current dialogue, the TFD team attended Space-Comm Expo, the UK's largest space tech event. Here are our three takeaways from the event.
The future of space technology is taking shape
Emerging technologies – like digital twins, space-based renewables, and post-quantum encryption – are reshaping space exploration and commercialisation.
We heard two big players, Airbus and Dassault Systèmes, discuss a successful trial in identifying satellite faults using a digital twin. By creating a 3D model and linking it to various sensors from the satellite, they were able to spot a manufacturing fault and fix it before it was sent into space.
Meanwhile, one UK company, Space Solar, spoke about their ambitious plan to harvest solar energy in space and beam it to Earth through a clever system of satellites and solar reflectors. They expect to deliver an affordable, scalable and fully renewable solution in 12 years.
Another smaller startup named GemaSecure is working on securing space-based data. They’ve developed a tiny device capable of processing vast amounts of data at incredible speeds. This would allow a satellite to encrypt data in space before transmitting it to Earth – providing protection against potential threats, including quantum computers that could break traditional encryption.
The innovation is clearly there, but for these technologies to gain traction, they need more than just technical success; they need strategic storytelling to attract the attention they need and deserve. The companies that stood out to us were the ones that could clearly and succinctly explain what their solutions meant and why they were important.
Collaboration is more important than ever
According to NASA, the Artemis program – which involves establishing a long-term base on the Moon – will involve building a ‘global alliance’ including ‘commercial and international partners.’
Success hinges on cooperation – companies sharing data and resources. However, in an industry that can be quite secretive, organisations often don’t want to communicate externally about partnerships or collaborations.
For example, we spoke to several companies at the event that mentioned having really cool customer collaboration stories to tell. However, they were worried that their customer wouldn’t agree to their name being published in the media, for confidentiality reasons or competitive concerns.
From a media perspective, this is not a massive worry. Most journalists writing about space (as well as similarly secretive industries, like data centres) understand the sensitivity of this information and will happily cover a story where names must be anonymised.
Expos and trade events remain the best way to stay informed
There are few places where you can meet as many interesting experts in a short time than at an industry trade event. Conferences like Space-Comm Expo continue to be the top source for the latest insights and networking.
We spoke with engineers and executives spanning a diverse range of space applications that all see the interest and value in investing in space, but all had varying opinions on what that should look like.
One interesting conversation we had was with the founder of Get with the Program, which partners with schools and businesses to deliver exciting tech learning events for young students. They are actively inspiring children to become the spacetech innovators of the future. For example, one class, based on a moon landing in peril, teaches kids to program a robot to prepare for a safe moon landing. Because it’s such a fantastic cause, they were awarded a UK Government 'Reach for the Sky' grant to deliver their Moon Landing Coding Adventure to 12,000 5-8 year-olds. If you know a school near you who you think would benefit, you can nominate a school here.
It’s not rocket science, it’s PR
Our time at Space-Comm Expo 2025 made one thing clear: innovation and collaboration are shaping the future of space.
The most successful space companies aren’t just those developing technology at the cutting edge, they’re the ones effectively communicating those breakthroughs to the world. Many companies have incredible stories to tell, but without the right messaging and PR strategy, they risk missing out on investment and public interest.
Want to learn more about the work TFD has done to secure funding for space startups? Read about the work we did with Gravitlab here - https://www.wearetfd.com/what-we-do/a-world-first-for-space-tech